Marine safe-float



(No Model.) 2 sheetssneei 1.

. J. B, ANDERSON.

' MARINE SAFE FLOAT. No. 578,308. v Patented Mar. 9,1897.

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Patented Mar. 9, 1897.

J. B. ANDERSON. MARINE SAFE FLOAT.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH B. ANDERSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MARINE SAFE-FLOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,308, dated March 9,1897. Application filed 311118 24,1896. Serial No. 596,780. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosIAH B. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Marine Safe-Floats,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved marine safe-iioat especially'designed for the preservation of mail, precious metals, and othervaluables in case of accident to the vessel in which they are conveyed.

It is well known that many vessels carrying mail and precious freighthave been burned at sea or have foundered in deep water, and

. in many cases the mail, money, or other valuables which they carriedhave been irretrievably lost.

It is the object ofmylinvention to provide a safe of great strengthwhich is fire and burglar proof, sufficiently buoyant to float abovewater, and which has sufficient storage capacity for the largest amountof mail and valuable matter, such as gold and silver, usually carried onvessels for export and import.

My improved safe is so constructed upon scientific principles that itwill iioat with about twenty-five per cent. of its bulk above thewater-line with an average load.

My invention also consists in providing a suitable compartment in thesafe or float wherein coin, bullion, and other'very valuable freight maybe securely locked, and other compartments for mail which is stored inport and mail received as the vessel leaves port,to be assorted andstored at sea.

The invention will be more particularly described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of my improvedmarinesafe-float. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional View through the center ofthe safe. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showingthe interior arrangement in plan; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of apart of the casing, showing the materials of which the casing iscomposed.

l Referring to the drawings, A indicates the wall or casing of the safe,which is made up throughout of a laminated structure, such as that shownin Fig. 4.. As therein illustrated, 1 indicates the outer shell of thecasing, which is composed of an armor-plate, of steel, iron, or othersuitable metal, of sufficient thickness to withstand the force of thewaves and prevent the safe. from being pierced by pieces of wreckage incase of accident. Next to armor-plate 1 is a layer of asbestos 3 orother equivalent ireproof material inclosed between strong layers 2 andLt of malleable Wire fabric of coarse mesh. The next layer is composedof cork included between the wire fabric et and a second wire fabric 6of a somewhat smaller mesh. Between the layer of wire fabric 6 and aplate S, of steel, iron, or other suitable metal of perhaps one-halfinch in thickness, is a layer of asphaltum 7. The plate S forms theinner wall of the casing or safe, and I preferably cover this with acloth covering 9, Well cemented to the plate 8. The armor-plate 1 givesto the safe its principal strength and rigidity. The asbestos is anon-conductor and serves to prevent heat from injuring the inner wall ofthe safe and its contents in case of lire. a non-conductor of heat, butits principal use is to prevent dampness from penetrating the safe. Theasphaltum is also used for this purpose. The wire fabric serves to holdthe asphaltum, cork, and asbestos in place and also to strengthenthegeneral structure.

The general shape of the safe is preferably that of an ellipsoid, asshown in the drawings. In the line of the least diameter is a brace orpost 11, consisting of a round steel rod which answers the doublepurpose of strengthening the safe and supporting the adjustable floor orpartition between the mail and bullion compartments. Upon this rod 11 issuspended the adjustable floor 12 in the following manner: The rod isscrew-threaded at 13, and upon it is a threaded sleeve having a head 15,which supports aspider 16 under the ioor. Upon the sleeve above theIioor is a locking-nut 17. In order to adjust the floor, the nut 17 isfirst loosened and the sleeve' 111 is then raised or lowered until thefloor is at the desired height. The locking nut is then turned downtight upon the floor. The floor itself, being elliptical, cannot turn.Upon the outer edge of the floor is a depending flange 18, which litswithin a wall or iiange 19, rigidly attached to the outer casing. Accessto the bullion-chamber B, be-

The cork is also IOO neath the iioor 12, is had through manholes 20,which can be securely closed, locked, and sealed. The sleeve 14 and nut17 are turned by means of a lever Which can be inserted in holes 2l. Anannular collar or shoulder 11a is rigidly attached to or integral withthe post 11 and in such position as to prevent the iloor from beingraised sufticiently to expose the valuables beneath it.

At one end of the safe I provide a partition 22, fitted with a slidingdoor 23, preferably of heavy Wire-netting or grillework, and aventilating-openin g 24, also protected by iron rods.

The larger mail-compartment C is preferably used for mail which isstored While the vessel is in port. Before the time for leaving, thebullion'and other valuables are stored in the chamber B and securelylocked and sealed therein. Then the mail is stored in the chamber C andthe door 23 closed. The door 23 thus incloses the mail and givesadditional security to the bullion-chamber. Late mail and other articlesof value which are not received until the last Amoment can be placedinthe outer compartment D, either before or after the mail is assorted.v

The space outside of the Wall or flange 19 can be divided into lockersfor various purposes or utilized as part of the mail-compartment C.Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, there is a locker 24 for small tools, &c.,which is accessible through a hand-hole 25 in the cover 26. At theopposite end of the safe there is a compartment 27, which is used forholding a supply of compressed gas or stored electricity. As shown,there is a tank 28 for gas, which is conveyed to any part of the safethrough a system of pipes 29, embedded in the layer of asphaltum. Thereare three interior gas-burners 30, 31, and 32 and-two eX- teriorgas-burners 33 and 34. Thevexterior burners are covered by xed heavyperforated flint-glass plates 35, one half of each plate being red andthe other halt` White, so as to produceboth red and White lights, thered light being preferable in a fog and the White light in darkness.These lights 33 and 34 are intended to burn constantly While the ship isat sea, so that in case of sudden accident they Will not require anylighting or other preparation. One of the lights is placed at the top ofthe iioat and the other at the bottom, so that no matter which side isup the float Will show a red and a White signal-light. The lights 33 and34 are placed in depressions 36 in the outer casing. In otherdepressions 37 I place bells 38, the bells being preferably stationaryand provided With clappers 39,

Which are pivoted on stationary rods 40. One of the bells is placed atthe bottom of the oat and one at the top, so that one of them y Willalways be in a position to sound an alarm and attract attention When thesafe is floating on the Waves.

Upon the ends of the safe I place stout iron loops or eyebolts 41, toWhich a rope or chain can be attached either to tow the safe into vportor to raise it onto the deck of a vessel. A door 42 is provided forgiving access to the interior of the safe. into the outer compartment D.I provide a second door 43 in the chamber O, through which air isfurnished to the Workmen While the mails are bein-g stored in the safe.The opening in which the door 43 fits is covered on its inner side by astout iron grating 44. It will thus be seen that there is no means ofaccess to the interior of the safe excepting through the main door 42.Both doors 42 and 43 are provided with secure locks, such as are used onburglar-proof safes, and they are also fitted Water-tight.

The safe is intended to rest in a suitable cradle or depression in thedeck of a vessel, so that it can readily iloat free from the vessel incase the latter should founder. It is intended to float abouttwenty-live per cent. above the surface of the Water when loaded. Uponthe outer surface Iof the safe I preferably provide two compartments orpockets 45, into Which personal mail can be quickly inserted in case thevessel is in imminent danger of sinking, the receptacles 45 beingprovided with Water-tight covers. The outer surface of the safe may besuitably marked With the Words United States Mail and the name of thevessel upon Which the safe is carried. It may also be provided with asuitable flag to form a day-signal to attract the notice of passingvessels.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a marine safe-float, the shell consisting of the outer metalarmor-plate, the inner metal plate, and the intermediate layers ofasbestos, corkand asphaltum, substantially as described.

2. In a marine safe-oat, the shell consisting of the outer armor-plateof metal, the inner layer of metal, intermediate layers of asbestos,cork, and asphaltum, and Wire fabric arranged between said intermediatelayers, substantially as described.

3. In a marine safe-float, the ellipsoidal shell in combination with thevertical central post extending across Within the shell, said post beingrigidly connected at top and bottom With the shell, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a marine safe-float, the combination With the shell and thecentral stationary post, of the vertically-adjustable floor arranged toseparate the mail and bullion compartments, said iioor being supportedby the post, substantially as described.

5. In a marine safe-loat, the combination With the casing and thecentral threaded post, of the internally-threaded sleeve upon the post,the oor supported by said sleeve, and the locking-nut threaded upon thesleeve, substantially as described.

6. In a marine safe-float, the combination with the shell, thestationary post, and the This door opens IOO IIO

578,308 Y Y a room, as desired, for coin, bullion, and other I0valuables, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afX my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOSIAH B. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES A. WATSON, Jos. H. BLAoKWooD.

